From Cobra and Ferrari kit cars to its own street-legal supercar kit, Factory Five Racing designs racing-car kits that make hobbyists' dreams come true. The company, based in Wareham, Mass., claims SolidWorks and Cosmos designanalysis software cut its development time and costs in half.

"Most of our customers are over-the-top hobbyists like Tim Taylor, the guy from the Home Improvement TV show. But our kits still must be practically perfect because we're dealing with people who have different skill levels," says company president David Smith. "With SolidWorks, every part we make works right out of the box."

The software lets engineers share designs directly with fabricators. The fabricators then use the designs to guide lasercutting machines that produce all of the frame parts, including tubes and positioning jigs. Previously, fabricators had to interpret drawings and manufacture frame assemblies by hand, boosting the potential for errors. Engineers test parts such as suspension brackets with CosmosXpress design analysis.